Team to help rough sleepers off streets in Portsmouth will be expanded with £650,000 government grant

As part of the government’s rough sleeping initiative for this year Portsmouth was one of 270 authorities awarded additional funds to tackle homelessness.

The money will help bolster existing services including night shelters, meals and laundry facilities.

It will also pay to extend the navigator service which is provided by a partnership between Portsmouth City Council and the Society of St James (SSJ).

Trevor Pickup, chief executive of the SSJ, said: ‘The navigator service has been a very effective service so far.

‘The team is able to make sure people are put in touch with the right services to help them address their issues and they can work quite intensively with a small number of individuals. They help them access the best service for them.

‘Overall the navigators help to reduce the number of people sleeping rough as I think they are helped off the streets quicker.

‘The cash will pay for more team members.’

The council's housing boss, Councillor Darren Sanders, added: 'This money is very welcome and will make a big difference to people in Portsmouth who need support to keep them off the streets, and help in finding secure, long-term places to live.

'It will help us continue our current services, and enable us to provide more advice and support to people with complex issues.'

The navigator service was founded last year with a government grant of £275,000.

This latest round of funding comes as as part of a £112m national pledge from government.

MP for Portsmouth North, Penny Mordaunt, welcomed the funds. ‘Local areas will be able to enhance services that connect people with the right support and sustainable housing to move them swiftly away from the street and facilitate their recovery,’ she said.

‘This important work is part of delivering on the commitment made in the government manifesto to end rough sleeping by the end of this parliament.’

The rough sleeping initiative was launched in 2018. Last year authorities were given a total of £26m from the government

To use the navigator service, people need to be referred from the day service or one of the night shelters.